- Edwin Pickstone

Edwin Pickstone
Portfolio
Infinite Ultra Bold: Excerpts from a piece developed for Bypass
Magazine, Portugal. The issue theme is ‘The infinitely large &
the infinitely small’. A full explanation of the work is given in
the final spread (layout by Bypass Magazine).
Due for publication May 2010
44
BYPASS
BYPASS
45
Above: The entire 'Lord’s Prayer', cast in sans serif letters on the top of
a twelve point em (4.4 x 4.4 mm approx). The mould or matrix for this
astonishing artefact was created in 1925 by the Lanston Monotype
Corporation Ltd. London, to show the incredible precision of their
type-casting system. Each letter measures around 0.002 mm high.
Previous pages: Infinite Ultra Bold. Letters U, L, T, R & A adapted for
infinite proportions from a very bold, early 20 th century grotesque wood
type. The adaptation of the letters, allowing their size to be limited only by
the viewer's imagination, calls into question the defining characteristics
of both the font and the letterforms themselves. Originally measuring 74
lines (31.5 cm approx), this type belongs to the collection of The Glasgow
School of Art’s Visual Communication Department.
Many thanks to Edinburgh-based typecasting expert Harry McIntosh
for the wonderful artefact.
Em cima: O "Pai Nosso", na sua versão completa, talhado em fonte tipográfica sans serif no topo de um
eme (quadratim) de doze pontos (aprox. 4.4 x 4.4 mm). O molde, ou matriz, para este surpreendente
artefacto foi criado em 1925 pela Lanston Monotype Corporation Ltd., em Londres, para mostrar a incrível
precisão do seu sistema de moldagem de caracteres tipográficos. Cada letra mede aproximadamente
0.002 mm de altura.
Páginas anteriores: Infinite Ultra Bold. Letras U, L, T, R & A adaptadas para proporções infinitas, a partir
de um tipo de madeira grotesca, do início do século XX, com caracteres a negrito. A adaptação das
letras, ao permitir que a sua dimensão seja apenas limitada pela imaginação do observador, põe em
causa as características definidoras quer da fonte, quer das próprias formas da letra. Com uma medida
original de 74 linhas (aprox. 31.5 cm), esta fonte tipográfica pertence à colecção do Departamento de
Comunicação Visual da Escola de Artes de Glasgow.
Os meus agradecimentos a Harry McIntosh, perito em moldagem de caracteres tipográficos, de
Edimburgo, pelo maravilhoso artefacto.
Words About Whiteinch: Paperback produced for the
Whiteinch Centre, Glasgow. The Layout was developed
to balance a range of poetry, prose and playful illustrations
by Annabel Wright.
Franz Ferdinand: Layouts in the style of Blast magazine produced
letterpress with the intention of creating a sense of authenticity
and strong reference to the original publication, using type and
simple abstract elements. After this initial development stage,
responsibility for the website design itself was taken by Domino
Records.
Above: One example of the printwork produced.
Right: Website produced by Domino Records.
Contents: A personal piece questioning the validity of process
behind the reference, pastiche and appropriation from ‘classic’
design and art movements seen in commercial pop culture.
Low Growl: Promotional work produced for a show by Icelandic artist Baldvin Ringsted. Ringsted works with various
themes including the aesthetics of ‘Death Metal’
The flyers were printed digitally then dipped in quick drying
black gloss paint, making each one highly individual.
Produced with Emlyn Firth
The Great Nothing: Invite for sculptor Paul Macinnes.
Commissioned for a show of new work made up of
found, disregarded objects. The invite was produced
as a keep sake, intended to create a warm glow of
nostalgia for the things we’ve disposed of.
Printed letterpress on stock taken from a vacated
bookbinders workshop.
Pam Hogg: Flyers produced for a rare Scottish show of work
by fashion designer Pam Hogg. Hogg, currently enjoying
a well publicised revival, rose to fame in the mid nineteen
eighties. She has come to be known as the ‘queen of cling’
due to her infamous supertight, metallic catsuits.
Silver letterpress print on high gloss black peel-back vinyl.
Unstable Objects: The brief for these invites was simply to react
to the title of the show. Each item was fed into a powered, but still
hand-fed, platen press then miss-fed for an unpredictable final
result. The invites were cropped at an odd angle for maximum
instability!
Produced with Emlyn Firth
Sapere Aude: Flyer produced with artists Sandy Smith and
Andrew Cattanach. A good example of the control available
with small scale production methods.
Letterpress print and emboss with black ink on black board.
From the top to the bottom of a type dump (face): Part of a
large collection of work exploring the theme ‘how letterpress
exists today?’. The impetus for this work was to experiment
with alternative methods, showing the wealth of potential
inherent in extant letterpress equipment, whilst avoiding the
inefficiencies of setting type in the traditional manner. In this
case the form was composed from the contents of a half-ton
waste type bin. The finished work shows a cross-section of
types discarded into the dump over many years.
From the Top to the Bottom of a Type Dump (foot): An alternative print using the feet of the type in an attempt show
the physicality inherent in the process and it’s components.
CMYK / YCKM: Produced using a form made up of small jumbled types, for maximum print surface (pic. above). This set of
forty prints charts the merging of the four process colours in
all dual combinations from distinct bands to black. When followed from beginning to end the set offers many wonderfully
subtle tonal variations as well as revealing the qualities of the
pigments in relation to one and other.
24pt Gill Sans Medium U.C. & L.C. (left) and 6pt Gill
Sans Medium U.C. (right): Prints produced to the
theme of Gill’s quote; ‘letters are things, not pictures of things’. Each triangle contains the contents
of one case of type. The composition encourages
recognition of the ‘colour’ of the letterforms.
Type block and Type Sea: Small sculptural forms which question
the state and whereabouts of the millions of tons of lead type
removed from the commercial print industry in the 20th Century.
Produced using found type and a Monotype Caster.
Eunoia: Cover artwork for Christian Bök’s univocalic lipogram.
The artwork was developed to reflect the book’s wealth of
literary reference as well as emphasising the unique structure
of this work. Bök’s writing is beautifully flowing despite the
restriction of using only one vowel per chapter.
Artwork commissioned by Canongate Books, Edinburgh.
Initial rough draft or ‘scamp’
Form for Eunoia on the bed
of the press.
Hitherto Screenprint Set for Glasgow International
Art Fair: Packaging designed and produced for shop
and illustration collective Hitherto. By Designing,
printing, creasing, assembling and sealing in-house,
wastage was kept to an absolute minimum allowing
for high production value despite a tight budget.
Hitherto Gocco: Packaging for a set of seven Gocco prints.
As with the screen print set these cases were produced with
minimum wastage for maximum value.
Letterpress print, fastening and cover design produced using
a large gauge paper drill.
Print, Power and Politics, Museum of London: Display typography for a permanent exhibition relating the histories of print
and society. A graphic theme was created using early 20th
century grotesque woodtypes. The types were printed with a
variety of inking techniques to produce a strong sense of depth
and physicality, still recognisable once digitised.
Work commissioned by ISO, Glasgow
Exhibition due to open May 2010
Naum Gabo, Pictur: Lettering produced with Jonnie Wilkes
(one half of Naum Gabo). To reflect the relay of digital and
analogue synthesizing used on the record, the type was put
through a similar relay of analogue and digital processes.
Printed four colour offset litho.
Cover image Cathy Wilkes
Optimo Airmail: Poster for club night Optimo produced to
celebrate the club’s 10th birthday. The posters, printed on
tissue, were folded down and sent in transparent envelopes
by mail to friends, bands, artists, promoters and djs worldwide who have played a role in the club’s development.
No Refunds (left): Created with Konx-om-Pax for a live installation of sound
and video. Printed on semi-transparent greaseproof paper with chaotic
posterwall sites in mind.
We Hate Your Ears (right): Produced in various colour schemes with Oliver
Pitt of art school thrash punk band Ultimate Thrush. Designed on the bed
of the press in an intuitive manner with minimal prior planning.
Edwin Pickstone
Born 1982, Manchester, UK
BA(Hons) Visual Communication (First Class)
Glasgow School of Art 2005
2005 - Present
Typographic Technician & Artist in Residence, Vis Com, The Glasgow School of Art
The position, which I took up after training with retiring compositor Fraser Ross, is a varied
role, fulfilling a wide variety of responsibilities with a high level of autonomy. The majority
of my time over the academic year is spent in the letterpress facility, inducting student
groups, working with individuals on their projects and caring for the school’s large and varied
collection of wood and metal types (over 500 fonts) as well as the maintenance of a range of
machinery; presses, guillotine etc.
In the past eight years the caseroom has gone from being under serious threat of closure to
being properly understood as a necessary and highly valuable resource.
During my time at the school I have also lectured on type, lettering and design for both the
Visual Communication and Product Design Departments.
The Press
In 2008 I acquired three tons of equipment and set up a small letterpress print shop in an
railway arch at Glasgow’s SWG3 artist studios. This occasional print shop named ‘The Press’ is
run as a creative partnership between myself and Emlyn Firth (Senior Designer ISO, Glasgow).
The press is run on a small local printers model mostly producing promotional work for
artists as needed, as well as handling the print identity for +44141 Gallery, the in-house
gallery of the studios where The Press is housed.
The Caseroom, Glasgow School of Art
My work has been featured in the following publications:
Eye, no.57 vol.15 (UK)
Grafik, no.170 (UK)
Ultrabold, The Journal of St. Brides Library, no. 6 (UK)
Pata, no. 9 (ITL)
Transmission, no. 6, 7, 8 (UK)
Japandesign.net (JPN)
Susology, no. 2 (UK)
Plain Surface (UK)
Bypass Magazine (PT) Due for release May 2010
I have also shown my work in Glasgow, London, Philadelphia and Belfast (May 2010).
Other Achievements
2005, recommended for the Nesta pioneers program by Andy Stevens (Graphic Thought
Facility) as one of his top 14 design graduates of the year.
2008, invited by Catherine Dixon (Senior Lecturer, Central Saint Martins) along with academic
Steve Rigley to give an evening lecture on print culture and my own practise at St. Brides
Library, Fleet Street, London, ‘The world’s foremost print and graphic arts library.’
Member of the second place team at Phil Baines’ Typographic Pub Quiz, St. Brides Library
2009 winning a spot prize for pop knowledge!
My Work ‘An alternative documentation of the remains of the Fort Augustus Abbey Press’ is
held in the permanent collection of the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Member of:
Luckyme Collective
SWG3 Studio Warehouse
Association Typographique International
St. Brides Library
Contact:
edwinpickstone@hotmail.com
+44 (0) 7751 262 188
The Press, SWG3 Warehouse, Glasgow